My Captive Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Author:Vonda Sinclair
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-08-17T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Hand on his sword hilt, Shamus turned to look back toward the shouting but saw nothing in the darkness. He couldn't believe her clan had noticed their absence so quickly.

Maili urged her horse to a faster pace. They raced toward the hill.

"I must hide you." Shamus was far more concerned for her safety than his own. "If they find you, tell them I kidnapped you and forced you to come with me."

"Nay, I will not." Sounding panicked, she drew up. "Come. Dismount." Maili slid off the horse. "We'll both hide."

Shamus followed suit. Though he would not normally hide from challengers, he was greatly outnumbered this time. "Where?"

"Among the standing stones and gorse bushes at the top of the hill. My clan won't go up there. They believe anyone who trespasses in the fairies' domain will be cursed."

"And you don't believe this?" he asked.

"Nay. I have been here before. If the fairies live here, they don't mind my visits." She led the horse up the hill into the circle. Shamus followed, spending half his time staring back toward the trail but seeing naught.

"You stay here and hide," he murmured. "I'll take the horse and ride on. They'll follow me and you can safely return to the castle." Though he did not want to leave her, 'twould be the best for her.

"Nay. I'll not have you accused of stealing a horse," she said in a fierce whisper.

"They'll not capture me," he assured her.

"Then why did we simply not ride on? I won't slow you down."

Damnation, Shamus could think of no ideal solution.

For a moment, all was silent save the wind and the horse chomping grass. Fortunately, the bushes here were tall enough to hide the horse.

"Will he stay quiet?" Shamus asked.

"Aye. I believe so."

Peering around a tall stone, Shamus watched as torches came into view around the bend. A dog's bark echoed through the night.

"Saints, they're tracking me with a dog," Shamus said, his stomach knotting.

"Don't fash. I doused the cell with whisky and you brought all your clothes with you."

"The dog could be tracking you."

"Oh, blast," she whispered. "I didn't think of that."

The dog might smell either of their scents, or even the horse's. Fortunately, they were downwind at the moment.

The dog and her clansmen swiftly passed by along the trail, the men sounding loud and unruly as if they were ready for battle. He could not see all of them by the light of a few torches, but suspected there were more than a dozen.

Soon, they were gone, moving inland.

"'Tis surprising the dog didn't smell us," Shamus said.

"This is a magical place, you ken." Maili sat on the ground and he joined her, sitting close enough for his arm to brush hers. How cozy this was, she thought, sitting here, sheltered from the wind and the eyes of her clan among the gorse bushes and standing stones with the most appealing man she'd ever met.

"Indeed?" he asked, skepticism and amusement clear in his voice. "Magical?"

"Of course. Do you not believe in things you cannot see or touch?"

"Aye, certainly.

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